New Delhi, March 13: The central government has announced significant financial assistance for states and union territories affected by natural disasters. A high-level committee (HLC) meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved an additional central assistance of ₹1,912.99 crore. This aid will be distributed to Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the government, this support is intended for rehabilitation and relief efforts in areas impacted by natural disasters in 2025, including floods, flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides, and the cyclonic storm Cyclone Motha.
The high-level committee has allocated specific amounts to each state: ₹341.48 crore for Andhra Pradesh, ₹15.70 crore for Chhattisgarh, ₹778.67 crore for Gujarat, ₹288.39 crore for Himachal Pradesh, ₹158.41 crore for Nagaland, and ₹330.34 crore for Jammu and Kashmir.
This entire amount will be disbursed from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). However, 50% of the initial balance available in the respective states’ State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) will be adjusted against this amount.
The central government clarified that this additional assistance is on top of the funds already released. This means that the new financial aid is supplementary to the amounts previously made available under the SDRF. The government stands shoulder to shoulder with state governments during natural disasters, providing all possible support.
During the financial year 2025-26, the central government has released substantial funds for relief and disaster management. According to the government, during this period, ₹20,735.20 crore was released to 28 states under the SDRF, while ₹3,628.18 crore was provided to 21 states under the NDRF.
Additionally, funds have also been allocated for disaster prevention and risk reduction. The central government has provided ₹5,373.20 crore from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund to 23 states and ₹1,189.56 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund to 21 states.
The government’s aim with these measures is to ensure that states affected by natural disasters have adequate resources for relief operations, rehabilitation, and infrastructure restoration. Furthermore, it seeks to facilitate rapid relief efforts in affected areas, helping people return to normalcy as soon as possible.